Retirement

Three Common Ways Your Social Security Payment Can Grow After Retirement

June 21, 2018 • By

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Last Updated: June 21, 2018

woman planting flowers You made the choice and now you are happily retired. You filed online for your Social Security benefits. They arrive each month in the correct amount exactly as expected. But, did you ever wonder if your Social Security check could increase?

Once you begin receiving benefits, there are three common ways benefit checks can increase: a cost of living adjustment (COLA); additional work; or an adjustment at full retirement age if you received reduced benefits and exceeded the earnings limit.

The COLA is the most commonly known increase for Social Security payments. We annually announce a COLA, and there’s usually an increase in the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit amount people receive each month. By law, federal benefit rates increase when the cost of living rises, as measured by the Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index (CPI-W). More than 66 million Americans saw a 2.0 percent increase in their Social Security and SSI benefits in 2018. For more information on the 2018 COLA, visit our website.

Social Security uses your highest thirty-five years of earnings to figure your benefit amount when you sign up for benefits. If you work after you begin receiving benefits, your additional earnings may increase your payment. If you had fewer than 35 years of earnings when we figured your benefit, you will replace a zero earnings year with new earnings. If you had 35 years or more, we will check to see if your new year of earnings is higher than the lowest of the 35 years (after considering indexing). We check additional earnings each year you work while receiving Social Security. If an increase is due, we send a notice and pay a one-time check for the increase and your continuing payment will be higher.

Maybe you chose to receive reduced Social Security retirement benefits while continuing to work. You made the choice to take benefits early, but at a reduced rate. If you exceeded the allowable earnings limit and had some of your benefits withheld, we will adjust your benefit once you reach full retirement age. We will refigure your payment to credit you for any months you did not receive payments.  Your monthly benefit will increase based on the crediting months you receive. You can find additional information about working and your benefit by reading What You Need to Know When You Get Retirement or Survivors Benefits.

Retirement just got more interesting since you learned about potential increases to monthly payments. Social Security has been securing your today and tomorrow for more than 80 years with information and tools to help you achieve a successful retirement.

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About the Author

Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

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Comments

  1. CHARITY M.

    Nice

    • CHARITY M.

      How are you doing

  2. LouAnn C.

    Great info, I wasn’t aware of all that

  3. Natalie N.

    Why bother to give us a COLA WHEN
    Medicare takes it away!

  4. Richard S.

    I’m retired now, in 2013 it was ascertained that I should apply for Dssi before receiving SSI, due to an overriding disability f osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia that hindered being able to continue working in retail sale. Once I applied for SSI, a determination that Dssi shoul d be paid retroactive to the date of termination from my previous source of work.
    My question for you is: at age 67, Nov. 19th I turn 68, I have the possibility of being hired by a low key family owned company, how many hours per week may I work without impacting my current SSI payment? I noticed that I can work, thus adding to future increases in my benefits payments.
    Looking forward to a speedy response
    Richard Styron

  5. Deborah K.

    I started receiving benefits at 62yrs and am now 68yrs. I don’t know if I got a reduced benefit or not. What can I do now to find out?

  6. Judith A.

    Please advise why I did not receive an increase in 2018 benefits, and my husband received just a 1.15% increase? Thank you.

  7. Billy S.

    I am a dialysis patient and am unable to work because of it. How do I get more financial help to pay bills.By the time I pay my monthly bills im broke.Please advise.

  8. Ivonny K.

    Ivonny Kiess S.S.I *** – ** – ***

  9. Ivonny K.

    I would like to know if I am getting the right amount of retiring ssi or if I am due to some COLA

  10. Timothy R.

    what is the difference between Social Security and SSI?

Comments are closed.